“Well, Bill, wherever you may have been and whatever you may have been up to all these years, one thing is sure—you haven’t lost your hot temper. But where are you living now? Are you married, and have you a family?”
“Those are matters which do not concern you in the least,” was the cold reply. “Our paths diverged years ago, and I hoped at that time that they would never cross again. Let me advise you to go your own way, and I will go mine; mind your own affairs, and don’t presume to pry into mine—if you do, I swear I will spare nothing to crush you. I am rich and powerful, and I can do it. I will, too, I tell you, if you meddle with me.”
He had risen from his seat while speaking, and, as he concluded, he turned abruptly and swung himself out of the car without even a backward look.
He carried himself proudly erect until he was out of the sight of his enemy; then his haughty head dropped, his step faltered, and he groped his way back to his section like one who had suddenly been stricken partially blind, and with an overwhelming sense of weakness.
“Heavens!” he breathed, as he sank into his seat and wiped the moisture from his white face, “to think, of all the people in the world, I should have happened to run across him. Where on earth can he be going? Not to Saratoga, I most devoutly hope. Ha!” with a violent start, “he used to be tremendously fond of horses, and perhaps he is bound to Saratoga for the races. I don’t know of anything else that would be likely to take him so far from home. Oh! if I had not been in such a hurry to get back! If I had only waited for the next train!” he concluded, with a despairing sigh.
While he was absorbed in these painful thoughts the train stopped at a station. At first he paid no attention to the circumstances, but after a minute he glanced from the window, and saw his enemy walking the platform outside.
“Ah-a! he is watching for me—watching to see where I get off,” he muttered angrily. “But”—with sudden animation as some novel thought seemed to strike him—“I’ll lead him a dance that he will not soon forget. The next station is Albany. I will get off there. He will doubtless follow me to ascertain what my next move will be; but, by a little maneuvering, I can easily outwit him, and then catch the next express for Saratoga, which will leave Albany in about two hours.”
Accordingly, as the train drew near Albany, he began to gather up his belongings, and as the train pulled into Albany station he was standing on the steps ready to alight.
At the same moment his enemy hove in sight. Without appearing to pay the slightest attention to him, Mr. Temple deliberately walked inside the station. He was closely followed, and aware of the fact. Passing through and out upon the other side, he signaled a carriage.
“I wish to go to 257 —— Street,” he informed the cabman, who instantly responded to his call.